The LA Kings have been busy and added five players to the NHL roster on the first day of free agency. However, the focus was clear and they wanted to add depth to the roster. Unfortunately, it wasn't the big splash that fans were really expecting to see.
It would appear that over the past week or so, Ken Holland tried to make that blockbuster move and was prepared to almost overpay to get a deal done. Recently, Darren Dreger was on the Barn Burner Podcast and mentioned the LA Kings were trying to get a deal done with the Calgary Flames for defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
"They had phenomenal offers, phenomenal for Rasmus Andersson. One from LA that would blow your socks off but not for players," Dreger said.
What could the Los Angeles Kings have offered for Rasmus Andersson?
It really isn't surprising to hear Dreger add the disclaimer that it was not for players, and this clearly indicates they were looking to trade draft picks. The question is how many they wanted to trade for the defenseman.
Entering the 2025 NHL Draft, they had their first-round pick at 24th overall and could have offered that plus additional picks. Another potential option was offering the 31st overall pick and the second-round pick they acquired in the trade during the first round.
Based on Darren Dreger's comments, it sounds like the Kings made a really competitive offer to the Flames. The issue appeared to be that Andersson didn't want to come to Los Angeles or wasn't interested in signing a long-term contract.
Andersson is entering the final year of his contract and if the Kings knew they were essentially only getting a rental player, they probably would not want to make such a strong offer. It very well could be a situation that he wanted to go through the free agency process, which is not something he has done yet in his career.
The first day of free agency has certainly felt deflating for the Los Angeles but based on some of these reports, it seems like Ken Holland is leaving no stone unturned to improve the roster.